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However, TO's by the offense are bound to happen. Our D has to do a better job getting the ball back and setting us up with a few short fields.

I agree, but that's because the offense was inept in the red zone and average overall. The defense, statistically, was #1, we all know that's crap, but Lebeau wasn't the problem and he won't be this year when they rank near the top, but don't create turnovers.

The offense and defense need each other to be successful, saying the defense needs to create turnovers to give the offense a short field is recognizing the fact that the offense isn't that great and need help.

Saying that the offense needs to sustain drives to keep the defense off the field focuses on the fact that, regardless, of their ranking the defense didn't really achieve that ranking in crucial situations.

Dick Lebeau is as good a DC that there is in the league, bar none, he still needs players to make plays and they didn't last year. This year remains to be seen.
Todd Haley is a good OC, maybe not the best or one of the best, but he's near the top and, like Lebeau, he needs players to make plays.

Each coach only needs to put players in a position to succeed which IMO they both did and in those situations the players let them down many times last year.

Blaming the OC or DC for the Steelers woes last year is like blaming the forn and knife for being overweight.

I agree, but that's because the offense was inept in the red zone and average overall. The defense, statistically, was #1, we all know that's crap, but Lebeau wasn't the problem and he won't be this year when they rank near the top, but don't create turnovers.

The offense and defense need each other to be successful, saying the defense needs to create turnovers to give the offense a short field is recognizing the fact that the offense isn't that great and need help.

Saying that the offense needs to sustain drives to keep the defense off the field focuses on the fact that, regardless, of their ranking the defense didn't really achieve that ranking in crucial situations.

Dick Lebeau is as good a DC that there is in the league, bar none, he still needs players to make plays and they didn't last year. This year remains to be seen.
Todd Haley is a good OC, maybe not the best or one of the best, but he's near the top and, like Lebeau, he needs players to make plays.

Each coach only needs to put players in a position to succeed which IMO they both did and in those situations the players let them down many times last year.

Blaming the OC or DC for the Steelers woes last year is like blaming the forn and knife for being overweight.

Reason to be excited to see what Cortez can do as a full time starter. If the flashes we saw last year are legit, it goes a long way to turning this around. Add Troy's hopeful season long good health and this weakness goes away.

Reason to be excited to see what Cortez can do as a full time starter. If the flashes we saw last year are legit, it goes a long way to turning this around. Add Troy's hopeful season long good health and this weakness goes away.

Right now I don't think Cortez is all that great. He looked soft in the preseason. And one good game last year is no where near a trend.

And having Troy 100% is the biggest event/news of the offseason!! The Steelers win when he plays.

Right now I don't think Cortez is all that great. He looked soft in the preseason. And one good game last year is no where near a trend.

He had THREE good games.....Never gave up a single 20 yard pass, gave up ZERO touchdowns. It is just that ONE was of those games was outstanding.
You wanna put more weight on 2 PRESEASON GAMES after he JUST CAME OFF AN INJURY layoff thats your right. Seems silly to me.

There are no guarantees true. But in three REAL GAMES he played as well as ANYBODY.

He had THREE good games.....Never gave up a single 20 yard pass, gave up ZERO touchdowns. It is just that ONE was of those games was outstanding.
You wanna put more weight on 2 PRESEASON GAMES after he JUST CAME OFF AN INJURY layoff thats your right. Seems silly to me.

There are no guarantees true. But in three REAL GAMES he played as well as ANYBODY.

I've been watching him since he got here. I hope he improves. He had some good games last year and that's encouraging. I will be keying on him this Sunday per our discussion. I hope he continues the success he flashed, albeit briefly.

Right now I don't think Cortez is all that great. He looked soft in the preseason. And one good game last year is no where near a trend.

And having Troy 100% is the biggest event/news of the offseason!! The Steelers win when he plays.

Cortez was anything but soft in the preseason games he played. In fact, take a second to read some of the post game stories and recaps of the KC game when he came back after surgery. He was crushing WR's all over the field, including Dwayne Bowe, a huge wideout.

But when you play WRs 10-15 yards off the receiver, THAT makes it kinda tough to get picks. Keenan had passes defensed because once the ball is thrown he can make up the yards and be in the vicinity and it's called a pass defensed. So what?

It's the scheme. The DBs are not in position to make those plays. One of the best secondary's in the league, Seahawks, get alot of picks and passes defensed. They are NOT playing the LeBeau cushion. Let them make the plays and get burnt ever so often.

No more "keep everything in front of you LEBEAU cushion!"

I think that scheme got started when D Washington and C Scott were the DB's. They couldn't defend 1-1. LeBeau hasn't changed anything since then.

You would never see Rod Woodson, Deon Figures/Willie Williams, Lake, and Perry in this type of scheme back during the original zone blitz scheme in the 1995 SB.

In 2005 it was Townsend and Ike Taylor and they were playing in this sort of scheme. Luckily, the Steelers had a running game then and could wind down the clock at the end of games and not leave it up to the D to blow a lead. When the made the playoffs, Ben heroics saved the day.

In 2008, McFadden and Ike played the same Leabeau cushion and it was up to Ben for heriocs late in games to win it.

If it weren't for Superhuman players on this D like Troy in 2008 and Harrison in 2010, no way this D stops anyone in crunch time during the last 3 SB years.

So, I really can't complain when you don't expect your DBs to make plays in the first place.

Really? In 2008 we won because of Ben's heroics? Granted that Ben played great that year because he played behind the worst offensive line to ever win a SB. But to say we won that year just because of Ben is ludicrous. That defense was being mentioned as one of the greatest of all time. Harrison and Woodley were spectacular rushing the QB and forced many turnovers.

I just don't understand all the St LeBeau hate, both in this forum and at that ridiculous Stilers.com website. Obviously LeBeau knows the game inside and out, upside down. He was a Hall of Fame CB before even becoming the top defensive coordinator in the league. Lot of people staying at Holiday inn Express lately...

Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, hear the lamentations of their women.

Really? In 2008 we won because of Ben's heroics? Granted that Ben played great that year because he played behind the worst offensive line to ever win a SB. But to say we won that year just because of Ben is ludicrous. That defense was being mentioned as one of the greatest of all time. Harrison and Woodley were spectacular rushing the QB and forced many turnovers.